Good point mapman, about the Lennon/McCartney songs authorship. Once they went solo, it became rather apparent, if one couldn’t already tell, which of them wrote any particular later Beatles song. I believe by the time of Rubber Soul, they were no longer writing together. Also, as time went on, the writer of the song sang the lead vocal or melody. They even let George sing Taxman. ;-) By the way, that song has a fantastic guitar solo (go ahead, listen to it right now!), which even a Jazz guitarist would be proud to say he played. It was, in fact, played by Paul McCartney. Anyone who says The Beatles weren’t good musicians has a very different concept of good than do I. |
I agree with many of the posts here. I was absolutely not trying to disparage the music of the Beatles. Far from it.. However, I was commenting on Quincy's comments and I totally agreed with his assessment of the Beatle's skill playing (back then during that time). They of course got better and their song writing (when they did it), was pretty good. But to call me a snob???!!!!! Ha, that's really funny. Nothing but music from all cultures in my house when I was growing up and even today. We appreciated all good music. Classical (I was first chair violinist), rock, blues, Jazz, R&B, Brazillian, etc. you name it. my definition of a snob is someone that tells you what you like. Several Beatles songs I like. many I don't, but I wasn't talking about their music or songs. But, as usual, it is my opinion based on what I know, heard, saw, experienced. no need to call me names. Sorry if I stepped on toes, just like Quincy did. one can choose to believe him or not. your choice. My family is based on listening to the elders speak and their experience. I've heard a lot of really unbelievable things in my day that were said and done and yes, most were true. I've also seen a lot that most won't believe. most people (going far off base) didn't believe that LAPD planted evidence until the OJ case (yes, he still did it, in my opinion). But people in my community knew about that type of thing long before that case came to light. How many people stood up arguing against something like that ever happening? The LAPD??? no way. We it did and does. It actually happened to me. Cops planted drugs in my car after I made the mistake of turning left on a green light while a cop was following me. this was in the 1980s. I never smoked, took drugs, etc. I was the poster boy for goodie two shoes. Athlete in college and just picked up a brand new car from the dealer taking it home after final inspections and they find drugs in the trunk after an illegal inspection. Yeah right. They actually let me go after I started laughing when they showed it to me and ran my background. Could have ended much worse. but I know what I read and heard and saw and experienced. Wild times back then. Definitely not a snob. That is really funny. enjoy |
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No, they weren't. McCartney, while not the "coolest" Beatle, wrote many of their finest songs. And he wrote the most popular ones, which bugged Lennon to no end.
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Minori, just so we're on the same page here, I was using this definition from the internet: - a person who believes that their tastes in a particular area are superior to those of other people."a musical snob"
So, how could it not apply to your posts? |
Nothing is better, nothing is best. Take care of your health and get ...
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For the record, I know what I like and don’t like. That doesn’t make me a snob. Never said or will say that my taste is better than someone else’s. Always open to new exciting things and I am always open to learning new things.
life is short to think I’m there. Got a long way to go.
took out my Beatles revolver, white album, and 1967-1970 albums just to check and realized that sgt. pepper and a few others are missing. WTH?
still think delicate sound of thunder is better musically than dark side of the moon. But that’s me.
i don’t understand how albums develop legs and walk away.
interesting
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Clickbaits from interviews are very popular these days and I’m sure Quincy said fairly innocuous things for most of this one but the 3 or 4 that would elicit OMGs were pushed forward as being the most important ones he said. Sort of like sitting at Thanksgiving dinner only focusing on the 2 or 3 tasteless comments your drunken uncle spews out over the dessert... |
minori, "for the record:"
"The Beatles were not very good musicians. That is a fact."
You also said it is "well-documented" that the Beatles were not good musicians. Could you give us five or ten examples of this "documentation?"
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Also, while you're at it, please explain how such bad musicians produced the likes Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane and Something (which Sinatra said was the most beautiful love ballad ever written)?
Just dumb luck I guess--over and over and over for 8 or 10 years.
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Ok since we are talking Beatles. What about Lennon’s violent behaviour towards women? Did he get that from his Dad? And how did the Beatles manage to hide this ugly aspect and maintain their image and fan base. I guess personal life was much more hidden from the public in those days.
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OK Shadorne, metoo, but would it have been a topic that even would have come up in this conversation a year or so ago? I don't mean to dismiss your point but are we going to go so OFF TOPIC by including the character of John Lennon in regard to his treatment of women? The man has been dead for 37 years. There are PLENTY of guilty men in their treatment of women at some point in their lives, things they wish they could change privately if never admit to. Often in such matters it's a matter of like father, like son, boars breed bores.
AGREE with respondents that say Paul was the musical force of that group. It's so obvious when one listens to each of their subsequent solo efforts if it wasn't obvious before which it sure was to me. Speaking of their solo efforts, is there one better than the superb first of George Harrison, "All Things Must Pass" the quiet, unsung Beatle, maybe my favorite solo album of any of the Beatles. "Imagine" if you can a more mundane song than that one, never got it maybe someone can clue me in?
The Beatles were a unique group in the history of Western popular music. It isn't particularly about their special musicianship, or their pop appeal/charm or just their music, but their collective accomplishments along with the fifth wheel George Martin who can't be denied his contribution to the whole of what they became, a cultural, popular musical phenom of the mid 20th Century. Whether the music will endure in the future, I would ask the same of Gershwin Kern Berlin, Ellington Rogers or the many other great songwriters, We'll never know. How many know about Paganini or List in their hayday? If not for the film Amadeus how about Mozart?
So far as Quincy Jones is concerned, yes, he made some unfortunate comments, maybe even based in
jealousy
as has been suggested by his lack of musical chops, so what, he was good at what he did and so far as his opinions they are nothing more or less than those expressed by mine or anyone else's, Take what you like and discard what you don't, nothing's perfect! |
tubegroover
AGREE with respondents that say Paul was the musical force of that group. It's so obvious when one listens to each of their subsequent solo efforts if it wasn't obvious before which it sure was to me. Speaking of their solo efforts, is there one better than the superb first of George Harrison, "All Things Must Pass" the quiet, unsung Beatle, maybe my favorite solo album of any of the Beatles. "Imagine" if you can a more mundane song than that one, never got it maybe someone can clue me in?
Uh, somebody's not paying much attention to the headlines these days. |
Let's imagine some alternate reality where the Beatles never existed, but J,P,G & R still had rock and roll careers.
RINGO - bounced from band to band, becomes well-known host of pop music TV show. Always a tech head, was early investor in Apple and is still one of the 20 largest individual shareholders.
GEORGE - long term collaborator with Donovan and then Cat Stevens. Releases several solo albums to little commercial success. Leaves music for a period, but returned as Stevie Winwood's touring guitarist for 20 years.
JOHN - upon his release from prison relocates to NYC and co-founds the Velvet Underground. Convicted of leading major drug distribution ring, but claims he was framed by the FBI and flees overseas before sentencing. Last heard of location is in the jungles of Peru with Maoist revolutionaries.
PAUL - writes 15 to 20 number one hits for other artists. Brings Hendrix to England, produces the albums and is the original bass player in the Experience. Later forms a band with a piano player/singer named Elton and that band sells 100 million albums.
My point is that individually they all would have had impact, but there was something magical about when they worked together. They can't really be separated.
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I didn’t love any of their post-Beatles solo albums (though McCartney’s s/t debut and it’s follow-up, Ram, have their charms), and I’ve always felt it was because their collective chemistry is what made The Beatles as good as they were. It was the songwriting and harmony singing (modeled on The Everly Brothers, whom they idolized). On his own, Paul is too sweet for my taste, John too sour. Plus he had Yoko dragging him down ;-). George was always my "favorite Beatle", but he wasn’t much of a singer. He put out a pretty good final album, though. It included a recording of an obscure 1950’s Rockabilly song ("Got My Mind Set On You") that I liked a lot, produced by the great Jeff Lynne of ELO. The music George and Jeff made together in The Traveling Wilbury’s is by far my favorite that any of them made post-Beatles. |
QJ’s comments strike me as the kind of things that a person suffering from dementia makes. Impulsive, angry, without constructive purpose. What’s the goal here? After such a brilliant career, he wants to be remembered for a handful of self-indulgently, controversially cranky comments? Really? |
"All Things Must Pass" as good as at least half of the Beatle albums. "Cloud 9" and "Brainwashed" are also very strong. To me, John was the least compelling solo artist--although "Imagine" and "Instant Karma" as singles were tres cool. McCartney's first album, "Ram" and "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" were all good. I like "New" a bit as well as "Venus and Mars" but they are a bit kitchy.
Clearly each tempered the other's weaknesses. |
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I’m impressed. A real apology... imagine that! As opposed to the half-apology with the big “but” at the end that we usually hear from celebrities. His music sounds better to me again, all of a sudden. Thanks for posting.
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I'm not a big QJ fan, but he did some interesting things over the years. Check out "In The Heat of the Night" soundtrack, with Ray Charles.
But he's wrong about the Beatles. Even drunk, I would never say such a thing. That stuff is hard to play well, even though it's deceptively simple. It's a lot more complex than it looks. He was right to apologize, but I think it was for the Jackson thing.
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The silence is deafening! |
Even from the grave, when Sammy G. reaches out, witnesses change their story. Color me impressed!
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